French scientists have taken the first steps to reversing the effects of dwarfism and believe the treatment could be used to treat humans

French scientists have taken the first steps to reverse the effects of dwarfism and believe the treatment could be used on humans as early as in three years' time.

They think the dramatic effects of dwarfism, which can be caused by over 200 distinct medical conditions and can include painful complications, could be treated with injections of protein.

The researchers made their 'breakthrough' by injecting a protein molecule into mice with dwarfism for three months, which allowed them to grow fully.

Elvire Gouze, a researcher at the Mediterranean Centre for Molecular Research in Nice, told The Local: 'The treatment is so simple – it’s just the injection of a protein and the results show it really helped.'

'This is a first and although there are more steps we need to take before trials on humans, nothing so far has indicated it couldn’t also work for people with dwarfism.'

Scientists injected the mice (which had the condition achondroplasia, which is a genetic mutation that causes the vast majority of human cases of dwarfism) with protein twice a week over a period of three weeks.

Dr Gouze said that as three weeks is roughly equivalent to 15 human years for mice, a similar treatment could work on children with achondroplasia without needing daily injections.

The researchers think the dramatic effects of dwarfism, which can be caused by over 200 distinct medical conditions and can include painful complications, could be treated with injections of protein

However, the treatment would not suit people past puberty, according to the study, which was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The researchers have more tests to conduct on mice to see if the treatment can be delayed, or whether it has to be started straight after birth, before testing it on a larger animal, which could be a primate.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

She said: 'We could be ready within three to five years to treat humans with this technique.'

Dr Gouze also believes the molecule injection relieved conditions associated with dwarfism, which can includelumbar and cervical pain as well as respiratory problems and muscular weakness.

Patrick Petit-Jean, vice-president of the French Association for People of Small Stature, told The Local cautiously welcomed the advance in the research, but that the goal should not be to eradicate dwarfism, which effects between 8,000 and 10,000 people in France alone.

Scientists injected the mice (which had the condition achondroplasia, which is a genetic mutation that causes the vast majority of human cases of dwarfism) with protein twice a week over a period of three weeks